CME Group launched new Cardano (ADA), Chainlink (LINK) and Stellar (XLM) futures on February 9. The first LINK and Lumens trades were executed between FalconX and Marex, while the first ADA trade occurred between Cumberland DRW and Wintermute.
The move underscores growing client demand for trusted, regulated products to manage price risk and exposure in this dynamic market, with micro- and larger-sized contracts designed to support cryptocurrency investment and hedging strategies. Harry Benchimol of Marex Solutions said being first to trade the Lumens and LINK futures reinforces the firm’s focus on building institutional access to the next wave of crypto assets.
Joshua Lim of FalconX highlighted that the expansion provides opportunities for liquid crypto funds to trade spreads and long-short pairs, reflecting the growing importance of asset selection as liquidity across the new altcoin instruments increases. Sudeep Gupta of Cumberland Trading said Cumberland DRW was pleased to execute the first ADA futures block trade, calling it a milestone in the evolution of regulated crypto derivatives. Ethan Ren, Head of Options at Wintermute Group, said CME Group’s continued expansion of listed crypto derivatives demonstrates how institutional participation in crypto markets is evolving, with newly listed altcoin futures providing a standardized way to take and manage price exposure on a trusted, regulated venue.
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